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I had for some time wanted to add a manual focus SLR to my Pentax collection. First I considered the Super-A, then here I read about the ME-Super. And just recently I came across a beautiful Special Edition ME, but it was snatched up at KEH, before I could pull myself together to go for it. So I began elsewhere, from Ebay UK :
I was starting to get a bit concerned, as it had been Easter in Denmark, so no mail in those days. And had waited for some time. Plus the seller had sold two identical looking cams. But finally it arrived, nicely wrapped :
(for a fragile labelled packaged, it had taken a bit of a beating on the side)
Batteries were removed, as seller had stated they could leak in the flight from UK to Scandinavia. So had to drop by a shop in town to pick up some CR2, and of cause couldn’t help getting some more Tri-X, as the store had just got a fresh supply
Got some Kodak professional Ektar 100 colour film at an earlier point, so will put the camera through some rolls and see how it performs. (The MZ-series sure fits great in the hand, good work by Pentax)
I like how it is a compact lightweight cam, with built-in winder. But of-cause it doesn’t have the feel of the MZ-5N, but then the original K1000 wasn’t an upscale body either. But this can just open up for later CBA acquisitions. Though next time I need better pictures of it, and more thorough description.
The problem with this sample, is that it was sold without lens, and didn’t even have a body cap on. I’m not one to fuzz over smaller unimportant details, but the Penta-mirror and split micro focusing screen were filled with dirt and dust. And was hard to try and clean out. First time I used my blower, it actually got worse, as likely a lot of the other dust inside the mount, just got to sit on the focusing screen instead. I then started using some Hama pro-optics wet tissue, but it didn’t help much either. (I couldn’t find my small painter brush, which I had previously used to clean older cams and lenses).
For a manual focus SLR, this is kind of a drag. I compared it to my 10 year old Z-1P, and that looks prestine and spotless inside, compared to this MZ-M.
I think I’m gonna give the seller positive feedback still. Maybe he didn’t know that camera cap was recommended, or he got it like that elsewhere. I didn’t expect anything wrong, as he had 100 %, but just after my buy, I saw another buyer complaining about fungus in a sold lens, but the problems were cleared up between them.
Else I’ve so far been very fortunate with my Ebay buys.
Thanks for reading, any comments welcome. I’ll be returning to the thread, for my likely future purchases
If the IQ is good, and I expect it to be fine, I think I’m still gonna have fun. Good to have a cam always ready in the bag, for daily photo ops.
P.S. If anybody knows how to change the Iso on the cam, then I’m very interested in knowing. (So I can push the Tri-X film).
Plus did the MZ-M have any dedicated kit lens, to go with it ?
Last edited by Jonson PL; 04-11-2009 at 03:48 PM.